An introduction of sorts

[yar89]

Just thought I should take the time to say hello to all the members here. I'm 19 and I've never touched a graver before. I bought an old shotgun a while back and touched up some of the old engravings on it using a drywall screw and a lot of elbow grease. I can't help but feel someone, somewhere is sitting at a computer cringing after reading that , but it was this act that sparked my interest in engraving.

Many of the things I have seen here are literally breath taking. Some great artists around. I look forward to gathering as much information as I can from so many experienced folks.

And now I would like to start off with a question: I want to get started with the hammer and chisel method. My main interest is stainless steel engraving. I've found suppliers on line for gravers , etc. , but I am wondering what the minimum I will need is. I figure a square graver, a handle, an arkansas stone, and a simple sharpener should get me started. Any thoughts or pointers?

I hate to start off by writing a novel, but I figure it is better than starting a few threads. Thanks.

[Tom McArdle]

Welcome!

Stainless?

Steel Belgium style graver handle,nice springy chasing hammer, Steve Lindsay's carbalt graver, and his sharpening system, or at least a diamond stone to sharpen the graver.

A way to hold the work, maybe an optivisor, and you are ready to leave behind the nail!

keep asking questions, and you will get help.

take care,

Tom

[SpiderCurt]

Hi yar89

Welcome to the forum.

If you read through the older posts, I think you will find that some of the more experienced engravers have in past times used nails and other materials to use as gravers. That means your drywall screw isn't to far out of line

This post will give you enough information to get started:
Inexpensive Way To Give It A Try

There is another post along the same lines posted by airamp and can be found here:http://www.handengravingforum.com/showthread.php?t=2365